Gifts of Leadership, Part 2

In this part of the sermon: Martin introduces spiritual courage as the third essential gift for sanctified leadership, emphasizing that it is a divine endowment unrelated to natural temperament, as…

Jeremiah is presented as an Old Testament example of a naturally timid, melancholic man who was divinely endowed with spiritual courage, demonstrating that courage is not tied to natural temperament.

And I rest my case on one Old Testament minister and one New Testament minister. My Old Testament servant of God is Jeremiah. In his commission, there is abundant evidence that he was temperamentally, apparently, much like Timothy. Because when the Lord comes to him in Jeremiah 1 and indicates that before...

1:01 - 1:27 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: He further illustrates spiritual courage through Timothy, who, despite physical weakness and natural timidity, was exhorted by Paul to stir up the spirit of power, love, and…

Timothy is presented as a New Testament example, similar to Jeremiah, who had a weak physical constitution and natural timidity, yet was given a more-than-ordinary degree of spiritual courage by God.

The prophets, as you were reminded from Pastor Lamar a couple of weeks ago, those of you who heard his message every time Jeremiah opened his mouth and spoke of coming judgment, there were three dozen false prophets to stroke the people, to comfort them, to turn around and cast dispersions upon Jeremiah's loyalty. And even his patriotism, call him a traitor, and yet he was enabled, the man who seemed to be naturally timid and fearful, he was given a more than ordinary degree of spiritual courage. And I say the same is true of Timothy, who obviously had, in conjunction with a comparatively weak...

4:09 - 4:59 Read in full sermon

The point: Have the courage to run into a pack of wolves and protect the flock, rather than letting them be vulnerable.

The analogy of a shepherd confronting a pack of wolves to protect the flock illustrates the spiritual courage required to defend God's people, contrasting it with the hireling who flees.

Without this, we're going to do the work of overseeing the flock of God. How are we going to have the courage to run into a pack of wolves and say when they encircle the flock, when this is over, there's going to be...

6:21 - 6:41 Read in full sermon

The point: Confront people individually with their sins, even those who hold tremendous influence and could undermine your ministry.

Martin recounts telling 400 ministers that their lack of spiritual courage to stand against denominational compromise (flirting with Rome) is often due to concern for 'manse, stipend, and retirement benefits.'

His own career, his own safety, his own well-being, his own stipend, his own match. As I said, to a group of almost 400 ministers this spring, I said it's a very simple answer to the question why some of you remain in organic connection with denominations that have standing committees that are flirting with Rome. Three words. Mance, stipend, and retirement benefits.

7:05 - 7:35 Read in full sermon

The point: Confront your wife and put her in place when she needs to be, demonstrating spiritual courage in your own home.

Eli's failure to confront his sons' sins, merely whining at them, is used as a stark example of a leader lacking spiritual courage, proving his incompetence to lead in his own home.

And you see, this is why, again, most often a man proves his competence to lead in his own home. A man who lacks the spiritual courage to confront his wife and put her in a position of power, a man who lacks the spiritual courage to confront his wife and put her in place when she needs to be. I've seen men in the ministry who long ago should have reared back on their hind legs and said to their wives, Woman, that's enough! They lacked the courage to do it.

8:14 - 8:37 Read in full sermon

Driving home: He says now you're fully aware of the modus operandi the spirit the ethos of rule as exercised among the Gentiles remember Rome ruled the existing world Herod up there in the Galilee area Pilate down in the Jerusalem are…

The rule of Rome, Herod, and Pilate is used as an example of the worldly, 'lording it over' style of authority that Jesus explicitly contrasts with leadership in His church.

And the pivotal text that I have in mind for which that rather lengthy mouthful is an attempt to set a framework of emphasis is Matthew chapter 20 and beginning with verse 25. You remember the setting that the ambitious mother has been putting in a word for her sons with reference to station and places of influence in the kingdom of Christ and when the others hear it they are moved with indignation because their mamas didn't get there first and we read in verse 25 Jesus said you all need to be corrected plus your mamas but Jesus called them unto him and said you know that that the rulers of th...

10:28 - 11:58 Read in full sermon

The point: Avoid the 'mini-pope mentality' and ensure your concept and exercise of rule are spiritually minded, humble, and servant-hearted, not imported from the world.

The 'mini-pope mentality' is used as a metaphor for a leader who adopts a carnal, magisterial, and authoritarian style of rule, imported from the world, rather than a spiritual and humble approach.

the mini-pope mentality the man whose word is law whose bearing is magisterial and his majesty and whose implement of rule parallels that of the Gentiles even though Jesus said not so shall it be among you there is no spiritual mindedness in the concept of rule all of the concepts of rule and the exercise of authority have been imported from the world not so shall it be among you there must be a spiritual mindedness that is a recognition of the peculiar dynamics and chemistry that are operative in the exercise of rule in Christ's church and then that must be joined to the humility and servanth...

14:55 - 16:22 Read in full sermon

The point: Lead by persuading the judgment through gospel motives and the exposition of God's Word, rather than simply pulling ecclesiastical rank.

A lengthy quotation from John Owen (Volume 4, page 514) is used to confirm and sharpen Martin's understanding of spiritual authority in the church, emphasizing its spiritual nature, its objects (minds and souls), and its administration through humble application of God's Word for edification.

in confirming the direction of my thinking and helping to sharpen it again volume 4 you'll be reading this in your two week assignment God willing at the bottom of page 514 he writes when our savior forbade referring to this part of the book passage all rule unto his disciples after the manner of the Gentiles who then possessed all sovereign power in the world and told them that it should not be so with them that some should be great and exercise dominion over others but that they should serve one another in love the greatest condescension unto service being required of them who are otherwise ...

17:51 - 19:20 Read in full sermon

The point: Lead by persuading the judgment through gospel motives and the exposition of God's Word, rather than simply pulling ecclesiastical rank.

A story about a man who visited another church illustrates the difference between shallow exposition that fails to persuade judgment and deep exposition that grips the conscience, highlighting the need for spiritual mindedness in preaching.

the judgment and then you make appeals based upon gospel motives that's the difference you see between simply pulling ecclesiastical rank and leading in the manner in which Christ says we're to lead that is the difference very very interesting comment came from one of our men who had visited a church elsewhere on a business trip recently and I played dumb it's easy for me to do that and just asked a few questions and said how did you find the ministry he said well to be honest pastor something concerned me he said I'm not comparing in a wrong way one ministry with another but one thing no matt...

20:47 - 22:15 Read in full sermon

The point: Nourish and cherish your wife in self-giving service while nonetheless leading her as her head, allowing God to periodically remind you of your roles.

The marriage relationship, particularly the husband's role, is presented as an 'acid test' for the fusion of servanthood and authority, where leading and cherishing coexist, with occasional 'bucking' to remind who is in the saddle.

you see you can't bluff it in your exposition and then pull it off by the sheer weight of authority that's the Gentiles that's the Gentiles but we must persuade the judgment that's the Gentiles that's the Gentiles and then we make the application and then we entreat not by pulling rank but by appealing as Paul does if there be any consolation in Christ if there be any bowels of mercy if this if that make full my joy that doesn't sound like a Gentile with a mailed fish coming down saying and we must have more than an ordinary degree of the disposition consistent with the unique nature of rule i...

22:15 - 23:44 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The fifth and final essential gift is introduced: a more-than-ordinary degree of spiritual force of character, drawing on Dabney's definition of a 'respectable force of character'…

A quotation from Robert L. Dabney (Volume 2, page 31 and 35) is used to introduce and define 'respectable force of character' as an essential qualification for ministry, contrasting it with a 'feeble, undecided, shuffling man.'

force of character a more than ordinary degree of spiritual force quote from Dabney volume two of his discussions evangelical and theological he says on page thirty-one in his essay on what is a call to the ministry the scriptures which define the necessary qualifications of the minister may be digested in substance into the following particulars he must have a hearty and healthy piety that's his inward walk with God a fair reputation for holiness of life that's his external bearing and demeanor before the church and the world a respectable force of character when I first read that I said hmm ...

25:13 - 26:42 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate an unmistakably masculine character, which is a gentle strength, regardless of physical stature or vocal chords, as God has ordained males to lead.

The old Timken Roller Bearing ads featuring a square-jawed, stubbled man doing something gentle ('so tough but oh so gentle') are used to illustrate the ideal fusion of unmistakable masculinity with tenderness and gentleness in leadership.

and gentleness and tenderness are never more beautiful than when couched in unmistakable masculinity see most of you you see there's some advantages to being old Carl perhaps can remember with me the two old folks in here the Tim Tim Roller bearing ads where it showed that guy with the square jaw and the stubble on his chin and then the little caption under it was so tough but oh so gentle and they showed this guy maybe holding a little a little animal and stroking its head well here he was the picture of square jawed stubble masculinity but then he was always doing something very very gentle ...

29:37 - 31:05 Read in full sermon

The point: Cultivate an unmistakably masculine character, which is a gentle strength, regardless of physical stature or vocal chords, as God has ordained males to lead.

Jim Baker is used as an example of a leader lacking masculine character, described as a 'twinkie,' whose effeminacy repelled real men and attracted mostly older women and 'wimpish husbands,' demonstrating the importance of masculine leadership.

the panning of the people that follow guys like Jim Baker it's mostly old women to whom he's their little boy it's not young men who see in him a fellow man and a standard bearer of sanctified masculinity you look at the complexion of the crowd that follow Jim Baker and it's mostly retired ladies and their wimpish husbands because the first and only time I ever saw that guy on television long before there was any scandal I said to my wife that guy's a twinkie the minute I saw him the whole bearing was so utterly funny but I mean that's the truth and how can you how in the world a man like that...

31:05 - 32:35 Read in full sermon

The point: Develop unmistakable soundness of judgment and resoluteness of purpose, so that your leadership is credible and unwavering.

Luther's 'here I stand' and Paul's willingness to die for Christ are cited as examples of unmistakable resoluteness of purpose, a key component of spiritual force of character.

impressing the credibility and the gullibility of God's people your credibility and their gullibility another element is unmistakable resoluteness of purpose what is that in a man that you sense once his principles are clear the tracks are laid you know that you're going to have to put a 40-minute before Magnum shell through his head to stop him resoluteness of purpose this one thing I did Luther's here I stand so help me God I can do no other why me to weep and break my heart I'm willing not only to suffer it but to die stop all this blabbering put your handkerchiefs back in your pockets Paul...

32:35 - 34:03 Read in full sermon

The point: Maintain a basic seriousness of demeanor, avoiding being a 'clown,' so that you are taken seriously as a prophet of God.

A quotation from A.W. Tozer ('a man cannot be at one and the same time a prophet and a clown') and an anecdote about Tozer's own regret after making a joke in a sermon are used to illustrate the importance of a basic seriousness of demeanor in ministry.

an artificial sobriety but a basic seriousness of demeanor I shall never forget the words of the late Dr. Tozer he said a man cannot be at one in the same time a prophet and a clown and because he had an unusual sense of humor and often humor is the ability to see the ludicrous to look at something and to see it in caricature and Tozer had that to an unusual degree and if you sat close to him when he preached you could just see the twinkle in his eye and just feel all the humor he was suppressing and occasionally it got out of hand and I had someone who actually heard saw this happen at a camp...

34:03 - 35:33 Read in full sermon